Strawberry Popsicles

These low-FODMAP strawberry popsicles blend fresh strawberries with lactose-free yogurt and maple syrup, swapping out honey and regular dairy so the frozen pops stay gentle on your gut.

Prep 10 min

Cook 1 min

Serves 6

Gluten-freeVegetarian

Ingredients

• 2 cups (300 g) fresh strawberries, hulled (or frozen strawberries, thawed)
• 3/4 cup (180 g) plain lactose-free yogurt (see the dairy-free swap below)
• 2 tablespoons (40 ml) pure maple syrup, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• Pinch of salt (optional)

Makes about 6 popsicles in standard 2 oz (60 ml) molds. Strawberries are a green-light fruit on the Monash app, so the berry portion here is generous. Keep maple syrup to a modest pour and check the Monash app for the current tested serving size.

Instructions

Blend the base

1. Add the strawberries, lactose-free yogurt, maple syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla to a blender.
2. Blend until completely smooth, about 30 to 60 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides if any berry pieces stick.
3. Taste the mixture. It should taste slightly sweeter than you want the finished pop to be, since freezing dulls sweetness. Add another teaspoon or two of maple syrup if the berries are tart, staying within a low-FODMAP pour.

Fill and freeze

1. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, leaving about 1/4 inch (6 mm) of headspace at the top so the pops can expand as they freeze.
2. Tap each mold gently on the counter to release trapped air bubbles.
3. Insert the sticks. If your molds do not hold the sticks upright, freeze for 45 minutes first, then add the sticks once the mixture is slushy.
4. Freeze for at least 4 to 6 hours, or overnight, until solid.

Unmold and serve

1. Run the outside of the mold under warm (not hot) water for 10 to 20 seconds.
2. Gently pull each pop straight out by the stick. Serve right away or return to the freezer.

Tips & Substitutions

• Dairy-free swap. Replace the yogurt with canned coconut milk. Keep it to about 60 ml per serving, which is the low-FODMAP portion for canned coconut milk, so 3/4 cup across six pops keeps each one in range.
• Sweeten to the berries. Ripe, in-season strawberries need little maple syrup; out-of-season or frozen berries usually need the full 2 tablespoons. Adjust before freezing, not after.
• No molds on hand. Use small paper cups. Cover each with foil, poke a wooden stick through the center, and the foil holds it upright while it freezes.
• Add a little texture. Fold a few finely diced strawberries into the blended base before pouring for berry bits in every bite.
• For a firmer, creamier pop. Use a bit more yogurt and a touch less added liquid. A higher yogurt ratio sets denser and less icy.
• Avoid sugar-free syrups. Skip "no sugar added" syrups sweetened with sorbitol, xylitol, or maltitol. These polyols are high-FODMAP and defeat the purpose here.

Why This Works

• Strawberries stay green-light. Monash lists strawberries as low-FODMAP even at large servings, so they can carry the flavor without a portion cap to watch.
• Lactose-free yogurt keeps it creamy. Standard yogurt carries lactose, which is the FODMAP trigger in dairy. Lactose-free yogurt has the milk sugar already split by lactase, so you get the creamy body without the load.
• Maple syrup instead of honey. Honey is high in excess fructose. Pure maple syrup is low-FODMAP at a normal serving, so it sweetens without the fructose issue.
• Portion-controlled coconut option. Canned coconut milk is only low-FODMAP in small amounts, so splitting a modest total across six molds keeps the dairy-free version within a tested serving.

Storage

Keep the popsicles in their molds, or transfer the unmolded pops to a freezer bag or airtight container with parchment between them, for up to 2 months. They are best eaten within the first few weeks before ice crystals build up and change the texture. There is no reheating; let a pop sit at room temperature for a minute or two if it is too hard to bite. If you used the coconut milk version, stick to one pop per serving to stay within the low-FODMAP coconut portion.

Not sure about an ingredient? The FODMAP Foods app rates 1,000+ foods low, moderate, or high FODMAP, with the safe portion for each, so you can cook with confidence.